Anth Quinn

Do you need to put off the things you enjoy in order to fit around the needs of others? Are you a busy parent? Do you have people who are relying on you, are you in a demanding job, working long hours to make ends meets? If so you’re not alone. I hear similar stories every week; “I’d love to (go back to school, go for a weekend away, find a relationship etc.) but I have to fit around other commitments.”

If this is you, my guess is that you’ll be surprised to find out that you need new glasses!

That’s right; you need new glasses because you are suffering from short sightedness when it comes to time.

What you need is a “looking glass” into the future – you might know it better as a calendar!

If I were to ask you to pull out YOUR calendar right now – how far ahead would you have scheduled the things that YOU want to do? I’m not talking your kid’s football fixtures, parents’ birthdays, society functions or any of the other things that are arranged for you. I’m talking about things that you want to do for YOU!

These other things are organised for you and may well be really important, the thing you may have missed is they also provide a clue as to how you can do more of what you want too.

If you have a lot of commitments and don’t have a calendar with things you want to do planned out into the future, I’d almost guarantee you’re dancing to someone else’s tune.

The answer to fitting in time to pursue your own dreams, hobbies and passions when your life is full of other commitments is to plan them way ahead of time.

For example if you would love a weekend away with your partner and you’re struggling to find time; throw it out in the future. Pick a weekend 6 months in the future and book it in as a fixed commitment and see what happens.

Your mind will naturally start to arrange your other priorities around this “fixed” commitment and as the time approaches you’ll find that other people just seem to fit in around your date.

6 months will pass before you know it and you can enjoy that weekend happy in the knowledge that you’ve already got another planned.

Beginning to stretch out your plans and thinking more strategically really is one of the core skills to fitting in your dreams while still meeting your daily commitments.

I’m not saying this is always easy; I still occasionally find myself going into weekends with no plan and reacting to other people’s plans. Not planning was fine when I was single and spending all my time climbing with a group of others with no commitments, for years we decided last minute and went anywhere. But as I got older, got married, got a responsible job and then began my own business, this became much tougher and it took me a while to learn the power of what I’m sharing today. If you too are struggling to fit your goals and dreams in around your other commitments then give this a go – you’ll be glad you did.

I’ve said it a lot before and I’m going to say it again now. If you don’t have your own plan then you’ll be living someone else’s plan and chances are they haven’t got much planned for you.

The question you I’d ask you now are:
Is living someone else’s plan OK with you?
If not grab your calendar and get planning!

Can you see how you’ll apply this? Do you think I’m talking rubbish or sense? Does all of this sit with you? Will you give it a go?

Anth.

Anth Quinn has been described as the best-kept secret in Personal Development; he is a straight talking champion of everyday people and despite developing a loyal following of over 10,000 readers he managed to avoid publicity.

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For more information and support for creating more time for yourself and what’s important to you, visit http://www.GalileoLS.com/consult.html for a free coaching consultation.

Kristen Lee Costa

Have you ever heard the expression “life is what happens when you are busy making plans”? Time passes ever-so-quickly, regardless of whether you are having fun or not. 2008 happens to be a leap year, granting each of us an “extra” day to carry out our lives. Most of us are likely to respond to the question “how are you doing?” by using the word “busy”. Try your own human behavior experiment over the next week and tally up the number of times you hear this yourself. Guaranteed survey says “busy” as the number one answer. The wild pace of our lives, which my Dad always calls “the rat race” leaves us unlikely to shift down and actually think (a novel concept, I know…) This makes our sense of time rather fraotic (my word for frazzled & chaotic) and limits the quality of our lives and relationships. My Mom lamented the other day “How has life gotten like this?”

Here are some questions to help you take inventory on how you are spending your time:

1. What would you do with an extra hour in your day if you had it?
2. How do you plan to divvy up the extra 24 hours you have been granted this year?
3. What things are you engaging in that reflect your values and personal mission?
4. What are the things and who are the people that drain your energy?
5. What can I cross off my calendar right now?

A healthy schedule should consist of time to be alone, and also time with those you love to be with. There is a lot of hype about quality time, these days. I believe it should not be an “either/or situation” (quality or quantity), but an “and” situation (quality and quantity). Let me explain: you need to spend a good quantity of time in order for it to lead to quality time moments. Quality time cannot be forced, although it often is. This can turn good intentions into frustration almost instantly. Don’t expect to carve out small slots of time to spend with your family or yourself and dub it as “quality” time. You may become disappointed if those windows of time do not deliver pure quality and measure up to the expectations you have set.

One practical thing I have done is to look ahead and write down the word “HOME” on my personal calendar a couple of times a month, as if it were a scheduled appointment. This is uncompromised, so regardless of what invitations come up, I have committed a relatively large stretch of time to spend at home doing accomplishing the important task of just being. Maybe you have noticed lately your pace has gone up, and the quality of your life has gone down. Perhaps you even feel as though you haven’t made today count. Now is your chance to start making wiser choices about how you spend your time and energy. Designating time to pursue “want to” instead of “have to” things is a step in the right direction. Time will pass one way or another, so make a point to slow down and enjoy moments.

Kristen Lee Costa, LICSW is the founder of Helping Helpers, dedicated to providing life-changing resources for professional and personal development. Visit http://www.helpinghelpers.com for access to innovative tools for therapists, teachers, nurses and those in helping professions. Kristen provides a clinical blog, called “Kristen’s clog” with everyday stress management guidance.

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For more information and support for creating more time for yourself and what’s important to you, visit http://www.GalileoLS.com/consult.html for a free coaching consultation.

Sharon K Davis

Sometimes as working mothers we can feel a little overwhelmed. We have families to care for, a house to take care of, a business to run, as well as finding the time to take care of ourselves. One of the most common questions I’m asked is, “How do you do it all?”

Most of the time it’s because I follow a system and use good time management skills. As business moms we need to develop a system for both business and family – one that can eventually run on autopilot so we can focus on the task at hand.

For example, I was able to cut down on work time by implementing just a few simple strategies:

I know. We see the phrase “make time” and think, “Where? There are only 24 hours in a day? Where do I find the extra time?” But I promise you, the time is there if you just implement, and stick to, a system.

One key is to set priorities. You have to realize that some things either don’t NEED to be done or can be delegated to others. Let go of those things. You have more important things to do. Make a list of your top 5-10 things that absolutely must be done today. Put them in order of importance. Begin, and do not waver from your assigned tasks.

Another thing I have done is to include my daughter in my business. One of my businesses is a candle business. My daughter loves candles and tells everyone she knows about them. She works with me at craft fairs and farmers markets, she helps me put together information packets, she passes out fliers. It makes her feel important and grown up to work with mommy. When possible, include your family in your business.

Don’t allow yourself to be weighed down by stress and overload. Set up a system that works for you. Focus on what is important, set goals, and try to include your family in your work whenever possible. You’d be surprised how much your kids like to “work”.

Traveling this journey with you…

Sharon K Davis is a network marketer specializing in training and sales. For a free report that will show you step-by-step how to grow your business visit http://www.MLMMarketingExperts.com/intro You can also view her business web site at http://www.LexiaCandleScents.com.

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For more information and support for creating more time for yourself and what’s important to you, visit http://www.GalileoLS.com/consult.html for a free coaching consultation.

Donna-Marie Coggins

Anyone in small business knows that effective time management is crucial in successfully balancing work and personal time. But sometimes it seems the hours go by… your day is nearly over and you have not yet done half of what you had planned for the day. Then we see some people who seem to achieve so much and still have time for themselves. What’s the difference? After all, no matter who we are or what we do, we all have exactly the same amount of time in each day… we all have the same 24 hours as every other person.

To find extra time in your day, first keep a journal of how you spend your time for two to three days. Include everything, even time on the telephone, watching television and reading. Next use that journal to identify your greatest time-wasters, and then decide where you can eliminate or limit them. I know this may seem like it’s taking up even more of your valuable time, but just try it — you may be surprised by the results.

Some handy time management ideas include:

The trick to finding extra time each day is to work smart, not hard. Be organized and have everything well planned, and you will find that you have more time to spare.

Donna-Marie Coggins is an author and business owner, providing writing, editing and business planning and start-up support. For tips and resources on running a small business and your free guide to free and low-cost publicity, go to http://www.YourSmallBizExpert.com

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For more information and support for creating more time for yourself and what’s important to you, visit http://www.GalileoLS.com/consult.html for a free coaching consultation.

In 1782, Congress selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the newly formed United States, because it symbolized courage and might, and because it was indigenous only to the United States and to Canada.

The national seal depicts the bald eagle with its wings spread, with one claw clutching an olive branch, and the other claw grasping arrows. The eagle, however, strikes different poses on other national depictions.

The bald eagle owes its name to the early American colonists, and is bald in name only. As the white-headed American eagle differed from the European gray eagle, the colonists used their word for white, which translated into bald, in describing it. Unfortunately for the eagle, the literal translation, bald-headed, stuck like a toupee.

Since ancient times, men have identified themselves with the eagle, because it creates an impression of majesty and of power while in flight. As early as 5,000 years ago, ancient Sumerians chose the eagle, in spread eagle form, as their emblem symbolizing their power. Ancient Romans followed suit, as did Emperor Charlemagne, and finally Napoleon. No doubt, Congress considered the eagle’s historical pedigree as being the animal representing a nation’s power, when selecting it to be the national emblem of the United States.

Did you know?
Ben Franklin wanted the turkey, not the eagle, to be the U.S. national symbol. He considered the eagle a “bird of bad moral character” because it lives “by sharping and robbing.”

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